Guide to Astra van sportive

Astra vans are based on the estate variant of the Vauxhall Astra car. This article serves as a guide to Astra van sportive.

Trim

Overview The van is available in standard or Sportive trim. The Sportive comes with the same load space and can carry the same load weight as the standard van, so how does Vauxhall justify the additional cost of the Sportive? In Sportive trim, the driver gets a performance van with a 150bhp turbo charged diesel engine mated to a six speed gearbox.
It’s powered by a 1.9CDTi 16v engine and sits on lowered sports suspension, so although it’s a van, it can be handled like the car on which it’s based. The van is available in a choice of two-coat metallic or pearlescent paint and standard equipment includes air-conditioning, sports seats and leather-covered sports steering wheel.

Interior

Interior of the car The load area behind the cabin is spacious and practical and the tailgate is high, opening to provide good access.
The load area is 1,825mm long, 900mm high and 1,376mm wide, which equates to 1.58cu.m of space and it will carry a payload weighing up to 647kg.

Safety and security

Other features The van protects your payload with side-impact beams and protects you with an energy-absorbing steering column, reinforced passenger safety cell, seatbelt force limiters and driver’s air bag. Active safety systems include Anti-Lock Braking System, Emergency Break Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. The Astra Sportive van in SE spec also comes with an Electronic Stability Programme with traction control. To secure the van and its payload, the Sportive comes with remote control central deadlocking for the doors, tailgate and fuel filling flap.
There is an audible warning when the key is left in the ignition and there is electronic theft protection for the audio equipment.

Practical and stylish

Final word Like any van, the Sportive is tough and practical and the manufacturer’s warranty is made to match.
There’s no mileage limit in the first year, and after that, the van is covered for one more year or 60,000 miles. By this stage, the van will have had two or three of the scheduled 20 thousand mile services. The Sportive is more expensive than the standard van and can’t carry any more weight or size of payload. But it’s not designed to be an improvement on the standard van.
It’s a sporting variant that still does the job of the standard van, but with more style and performance.